Self-winding clock



A. L. SOHM.

SELF WINDING CLOCK.

APPLICATION FILED mmsl. +919.

Patented Oct, 25, 1921.

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fimwmw di'flor wyb A. L. SOHM.

SELF WINDING CLOCK. APPLlCATlON FILED MAR-31. 1919.

1,394,689, Patented Oct. 25, 1921.

2 SHEETS-S HEET 2.

awrne/yg UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED L. SOHM, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO SOHM ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORIORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SELF-WIN DING CLOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 25, 1921.

Application filed March 31, 1919. Serial No. 286,533.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ALFRED L. 80mm, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chi cago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Self-Ending Clocks, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanymgdrawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to clocks and particularly to clocks of the self-winding type.

Clocks of this general description consist of a time controlled spring motor and a motor element for winding the spring thereof. The spring is wound intermittently and the energy stored by such operation is slowly expended in operating the time element. he the time element is advanced a contact is made for operating the motor element. In.

current consumption of the winding motor.

This necessitates heavy contact mechanism and a great increase in friction in the mechanism resulting in irregularity of running. This is particularly true in the type of clocks in which the contact is controlled by the spring motor itself, sucn, for instance, as when the contact is a wiping contact between a movable part mounted on one of the shafts of the clock itself and a stationary part bearing upon the same,

It is an aim of my invention to provide a novel, simple and compact self-winding clockwhich completes its own circuit when the mechanism is placed in its setting, may be cheaply manufactured, is easily installed and economically maintained and is effective in operation.

It is a further aim of my invention to decrease the contacting period to such an eX- tent that the amount of current used is very little more than what would be lost by ordinary deterioration-on open circuit.

A still further aim of my invention is the provision of an improved electrical contact mechanism wherein any dirt or dust tendmg to collect on either of the contacting points wlll be effectively wiped off p 101' to each contacting period, thereby insuring the proper passage of the current.

I have still further provided for effectively checking against over-winding the spr ng motor, thereby overcomin another serlous dificulty encountered in clocks of this type, as heretofore constructed.

In accordance with the teachings of my invention the winding element operates at fre quent intervals, such as two minute periods. My improved electrical contact mechanism provides for a very quick contact, the electrical circuit being closed for but a fraction. of a second at frequent intervals, such as every two minutes, the consequent consumption of current being therefore very light. By thus shortening the length of time during which the spring motor unwinds, a more uniform action upon the time element is secured and a much lighter main spring and associated parts are required. It isalso possible to reduce the power of the winding element as it operates more nearly continuously.

Other aims of my invention not hereinbefore set forth will appear from the following detailed description and the claims, taken with an inspection of the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an electric self-winding clock embodying my invention Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1 showing the electrical connections;

Fig. a is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line 1-4 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the armature -which with suitable electro-magnets provides the motor element.

My improved clock comprises the clock mechanism 1, adapted to be mounted upon a suitable base 2 shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The base 2 is provided at its bottom with a pair of projecting brackets or arms which have suitable pins 24 projecting upwardly therefrom. Legs 25 pro ject inwardly from the base 2 and are adapted for securing the base to a wall or other suitable body.

The clock mechanism 1 is built up of the nism mounted upon shafts secured in the vertical frame plates 3 and 4. The upper portions of the frame plates 3 and 4 are secured together by means of horizontal posts 26. These posts are internally threaded to receive retaining screws which thread through the frame plates 3 and 4 and into the opposite ends of the posts. The lower ends of the frame plates 3 and 4 are mounted upon a base plate 27 by means of suitable lugs 28 projecting upwardly from the base plate, suitable retaining screws threading through the frame plates and into these lugs as shown in Fig. 1. j

The base plate 27 which is supported by the projecting brackets or arms 23 of the base 2, is provided with suitable sockets therein to receive the pins 24 projecting upwardly from the base 2, thereby effectively holding the base plate 27 against displacement. V

The clock mechanism 1 comprises a main shaft 6 suitably mounted in the frame plates 3 and 4 and carrying at its outer extremity a minute hand 7 and a suitable pinion 8 for driving the hour hand 9 through the intermediate gearinglO. A spring barrel 11 is attached to the main shaft 6 and rotates therewith at all times. An annular plate 38 closes the inner open face of the spring barrel 11. V A main spring, (not shown) is housed within, the barrel 11, the inner end of" this spring is secured to the main shaft 6 for driving the same,-the outer end of the spring being secured to the annularplate 38. A winding ratchet 39 is rigidly secured to the inner face of the annular plate 38, this ratchet and the annular plate 38 having suitable bearings upon the main shaft 6. The spring housed within the barrel 11 furnishes the power for drivig the anchor escapement 12 by means of the escapement wheel 13 and intermediate gears and pinions '14, 15, 16 and 17, the ratio of gearing being such that the escapement wheel 13, which is mounted on the second hand shaft 18, makes 60. complete rotations for one rotation of the main shaft 6. A second hand 19 is preferably mounted upon the outer extremity of the shaft 18. The gearing may be constructed in any preferred manner as this forms no part of my invention, being well known in the art. The anchor escapement 12 is rigidly mounted upon the escapement shaft or verge 20. The pendulum rod 21 is connected to the escapement shaft 20 by means of an annular boss 22, the pendulum rod beig thereby maintained in oscillation by the movement of the anchor escapement 12.

The motor element for periodically winding the main spring comprises a pair of electro magnets 29 and 30, the-cores 31' of which project upwardly through and are connected by the base plate 27. The lower ends of the cores 31 are mounted upon a horizontal bar of insulation 32, suitable bolts 33 being threaded through the bar 32 and into the cores 31. The bar of-insulation 32 and consequently the electro-magnets 29 and 30 are maintained in position by means of a vertical post 34, the upper end of which is screw threaded into the base plate 27, the lower end of this vertical post having the bar of insulation 32 secured thereto by means of a bolt 35 which threads through the bar and into the vertical post 34. It will now be apparent that by disconnecting the battery wires and removing the bolt 35 the motor element may be completely removed.

A bracket 40 bearing binding posts 41 42 and 43 is securely bolted to the bar of insulation 32 and projects downwardly from the horizontal bar of insulation 32. As shown in Fig. 1 the outside binding posts 41 and 43 are insulated from the bracket 40 by means of suitable sleeves ofinsulation. The binding post 42 is grounded by connecting it directly to the bracket 40, the current passing through the clock mechanism when the circuit is closed, as will be hereinafter pointed out.

The outer edge of an armature 44, shown in Fig. 1, is pivotally mounted between a pair of lugs 45, projecting upwardly from the base plate 27, as shown in Fig. 2. This pivotal mounting of the armature 44 comprises a pin 46 extending through a pair of suitable lugs projecting outwardly from the opposite edges of the armature 44, this pin extending through the lugs 45 which project upwardly from the base plate 27.

As shown in Figs; 4 and 5, the inner edge of thearmature 44 is provided with a pair of lugs 47 projecting inwardly therefrom. A vertical plate 48 is hingedly mounted between the lugs 47 (as shown in Fig. 4) the vertical movement of this plate being controlled by the energization of the electromagnets 29 and 30, as will be hereinafter explained. The upper edge of the plate 48 is provided with a slot 49 shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, this slot being guided a collared sleeve 50 mounted upon the main shaft 6. The electro-magnets 29 and 30 are normally de'energized and the armature 44 and vertical plate 48 are held in the raised position by means of a spring 51 having its upper end secured to the frame plate 3, the lower end of this spring being secured to a short strap extending acrossthe free ends of the lugs 47 which projcct'inwardly from the armature 44.

A pair of pawls 52 and 53 are pivotally mounted upon the outer face of the plate 48, as shown in Fig. 4. The movementiof and 53 which are mounted thereon, is limited by means of a stop 54 having a threaded stem working in a slot 78 provided in the inner edge of the base plate 27. The stem of the stop 54 is threaded into the under side of the armature 44, the stop being thereby adjust-able so that the travel of the armature 44 and plate 48 may be adjusted. This travel is so adjusted that the pawl 52, when the armature 44 is attracted to the electromagnets, pulls the winding ratchet 39 down one tooth and also distends the spring 51 one end of which is secured to the frame plate 3, the other end being secured to the armature 44, as has been described. hen contact is broken, as will be hereinafter described, the pawl 53 engaging a tooth of the ratchet 39, advances it another tooth as the spring 51 retracts and pulls up the armature 44 and the plate 48 and pawls 52 and 53.

Springs 55 and 56 are attached to the pawls 52 and 53 respectively, the opposite ends of these springs being attached to arms 57 which are formed integrally with and extend horizontally from the vertically movable plate 48 as shown in Fig. 4. These springs keep the pawls 52 and 53 constantly in action against the ratchet 39; this ratchet is always locked as pawl 52 is not released until pawl 53 has taken hold.

My improved contact ,mechanism which controls the energization of the electromagnets 29 and 30 comprises a metallic disk 59 mounted upon the shaft 60, this shaft being driven through the pinion 16 mounted thereon. The gearing is such that the second hand shaft 18 makes eight complete rotations for one rotation of the shaft 60, the metallic disk 59, thereby making one complete rotation every eight minutes.

As shown in Fig. 2 I have provided the metallic disk 59 with four contact pins 61 projecting radially therefrom, these pins being spaced at substantially 90 degrees apart about the periphery of the disk, thereby closing the circuit and energizing the electro-magnets 29 and 30 every two minutes. A cotjperating contact arm 62 is rigidly mounted upon a shaft 63, this shaft having its opposite ends bearing in the frame plates 3 and 4. A contact 64 is mounted in an enlarged boss provided in the contact arm 62, the contact 64 being suitably insulated from the arm 62 by a sleeve of insulation. The outer end of the contact 64 is connected by a wire 66 and a delicate coil of wire 67 to a post projecting inwardly from the frame plate 4. The post 65 is insulated from the frame plate 4 by means of a suitable sleeve of insulation as shown in Fig. 1. The post 65 is connected by means of a wire 68 and a suitable clip to the inner end of the binding post 41. this bindingpost being insulated from the bracket 40, as heretofore described. The electro-magnets 29 and 30, are connected to the binding post 41 and consequently to the contact 64 by means of a wire 69 as shown in Fig. 3. The electro-magnets 29 and 30 are shunted by means of a non-inductive resistance 79 to improve the operating characteristics thereof. A short wire serves to connect the opposite end of the electro-magnet to the binding post 43, a battery 70 being con nected across the binding posts 42 and 43 as shown in Fig. 2. It will now be apparent that when one of the radial contact pins 61 engages the contact 64 the current will proceed from the grounded binding post 42 through the movement of the clock and then through the electro-magnets 29 and 30 to the binding post 43.

In case for some reason the energy in the main spring is expended at a greater rate than it is stored, the clock mechanism will gradually run down until the electromagnets 29 and 30 cease to be periodically energized. In such event or in order to wind the main spring for the first time, or after cleaning or disassembling the clock mechanism, I have provided a circuit closing member 81 as shown in Fig. 2, for connecting the battery 70 across the binding posts 41 and 43. Obviously upon closing the circuit closing member 81, the current will proceed from the battery 70 through the elect-ro-magnets 29 and 30 and to the battery, thereby energizing the electro-magnets and advancing the ratchet 39 to wind the main spring. It will now be apparent that by successive opening and closing of the circuit closing member 81, the ratchet 39 can be rapidly advanced, until the main spring is fully wound. after which it will take care of its own adjustment.

As shown in Fig. 2 the upper edge of the contact arm 62 is notched to provide a suitable shoulder therein. An arm 70 adapted for locking the arm 62 and consequently the contact 64 out of engagement with the con tacts 61 immediately upon energization of the electro-magnets is pivotally mounted upon a post 71 which projects inwardly from the frame plate 4. The outer end of the arm 70 is notched to provide a pair of shoulders 72 and 73. The electro-magnets are normally deenergized and the shoulder provided in the upper edge of the contact arm 62 is normally maintained in engagement with the innermost shoulder 72 provid-ed in the end of the retaining arm 7 O by means of a counterweight 81 secured to the lower end of the arm 62. I

The armature 44 is provided with an arm 74 which is secured thereto and moves therewith; this arm is provided with an inwardly projecting finger 7 5 as shown in Fig. 5. An arm 76, having a hooked portion at its lower end is rigidly mounted upon the shaft 63 adjacent the frame plate 3. The hooked portion of the arm 76 plays beneath the inwardly projecting finger 75 of the arm 74 so that when the armature 44 is drawn down, due to the energization of the electro-magnets, motion will be transmitted to the arm 7 6 through the inwardly projecting finger 75. This will rotate the shaft 63 in a counter-clockwise direction, thereby swinging the contact arm 62 outwardly against the action of the counter-weight 81 and into engagement with the outermost shoulder 73 provided in the arm 70, the contact arm 63 and contact 64 being thereby retained out of the path of travel of the contact pins 61, obviously providing a very quick contact of short duration. As the disk 59 continues to rotate the next contact pin 61 engages the under edge of the arm 70 and cams this arm upwardly. The contact arm 62 being thereby released, is then swung by the counterweight 81 into engagement with'the inner notch 7 2. When the contact arm 62 is in en gagement with the innermost notch 72 provided in the arm 70 the contact 64 is in the path of travel of the contact pins 61. Further rotation of the disk 59 causes the contact pin '61 to engage a small shoulder projecting slightly from the inner edge of the contact arm 62. This efiectively wipes off any dirt or dust that may have collected on the contact pin, slight rotation of the disk 7 59 then causing the contact pin 61 to engage the contact 64 thereby closing the electrical circuit, the contact arm 62 being instantaneously swung outwardly so that the circuit is closed for but a fraction of a second.

It will now be apparent that I have provided for automatically energizing the electro-magnets 29 and 30 every two minutes, although it is to be understood that these intervals can be either shortened or lengthened to meet various requirements. Energization of the electro-magnets 29V and 30 draws the armature 44, plate 48 and pawls 52 and 53 down against the tension of the spring 51, therebyadvancingthe ratchet 39 one tooth, deenergization of the electro-magnet allowing the spring 51 to return the armature'44, plate 48 and pawls 52 and 53 to the raised position, thereby advancing the ratchet another tooth. As the main drivingspring housed in the barrel 11 and the spring 51 work in opposition to each other and also in opposition to the action of the armature 44 it willbe apparent that a point will be reached when the tension of the main spring and the spring 51 will overbalance the action of the armature 44. Upon reaching this point winding will cease until the main spring has been suiiiciently unwound in driving the clock mechanism until itreaches a point where it is overcome by the action of the armature 44, whereupon the spring will be periodically wound as before. This operation provides connection with the details of a particular embodiment, I do not intend to thereby limit the invention to such details, as I am'aware and contemplate that modifications and changes may be made without departing from the invention which is set out in the appended claims.

I claim: 7 r

1. In combination, a spring controlled clock mechanism having a frame, a base plate, an electro-magnet mounted on said base plate, a relatively stationary contact mounted on said frame, moving contact mechanism controlled by said spring motor, and adapted for cotiperation with said first contact for closing the circuit of said electroma-gnet, said first contact being actuated by said electro-magnet to break said circuit.

2. In a self-winding clock, a main spring, a movable disk advanced by said main spring, a ratchet connected to the other end of said main spring, a pivotally mounted contact, a plurality'of contacts carried by said movable disk}, said contacts being brought into successive engagement with said pivotally mounted contact for closing the circuit of an electro-magnet, means controlled by said electromagnet for advancing said ratchet and means controlled by said electro-magne't V for disengaging said pivotally mounted contact from said movable contacts.

3. In a self-winding clock, a time controlled disk, a main spring for driving said disk, ratchet means for winding said main spring, apivotally mounted contact, a rotating contact for engagement with said pivotally mounted contact upon advance of said time controlled disk, electro-magnetic means in circuit with said contact for advancing said ratchet means and means engaging with said pivotally mounted contact, and operating simultaneously with the advance of said ratchet means for disengaging said pivotally mounted and said rotating contacts.

4. in combination, a spring motor, electro-magnetic winding means for said spring motor, a plurality of movable contacts, a

pivotally mounted contact, said movable contacts being moved into successive electrical contact with said pivotally mounted contact to close the circuit of said winding means, means operated upon the energization of said electro-magnetic means for swinging said pivotally mounted contact about its pivot to break the circuit of said winding means, and detent means for holding said pivotally mounted contact in open position.

5. In combination, a spring motor, electro-magnetic winding means for winding said spring motor, a loosely mounted shaft, a contact arm secured to said shaft, time controlled contact mechanism driven by said spring motor, said time controlled contact mechanism being adapted for cooperation with said contact arm to close the circuit of said e'lectro-magnetic winding means, an armature for said electro-magnetic winding means, a loose coupling between said armature and said loosely mounted shaft, move ment of the armature rotating said shaft and thereby swinging the contact arm se cured thereto out of engagement with said time controlled contact mechanism.

6. In an electric clock a pivotally mounted contact, a time controlled contact adapted to be periodically moved into electrical engagement with said pivotally mounted contact to close the circuit of an electro-magnet, means controlled by said electro-magnet for swinging said pivotally mounted contact out of engagement with said time controlled contact, and means released by said time controlled contact for retaining said pivotally mounted contact out of engagement therewith.

7 In combination, a spring controlled clock mechanism having a frame, a time controlled disk, a plurality of contact pins projecting radially from said disk, a contact mounted on said frame and adapted for engagement with each of said contact pins in succession, a main spring for driving said time controlled disk, an electro magnet and ratchet means for winding said main spring, means controlled by the energization of said electro-magnet for moving the contact mounted on the frame out or the path of travel of said contact pins, means for holding the contact in such position and means controlled by the motion of the time controlled disk for intermit tently releasing said contact.

8. In combination, a main spring, an escapement means therefor, electro-magnetic winding means for winding said main spring, and a circuit for said electro-magnetic winding means, said circuit being controlled bya time controlled disk having a plurality of contact pins projecting radially therefrom, a pivotally mounted contact arm, a contact carried thereby, the radially projecting contact pins of said contact disk being adapted for successive engagement with said contact and means for wiping off said movable contacts prior to their engagement with said first contact.

9. In combination, a spring controlled clock mechanism having a frame, a time controlled contact, a contact pivotally mounted on said frame and adapted to be periodically engaged by said time controlled contact, a main spring for driving said time controlled contact, an electro-magnet and ratchet means for winding said main spring, means controlled by the energization of said electromagnet for moving the contact mounted on tl e frame out of the path of travel of said time controlled contact, means for normally retaining said contact in the path of travel of said time controlled contact, and means adapted for retaining said contact out of the path of travel of said time controlled contact.

10. In an electric clock a base plate having a plurality of suitable lugs projecting upwardly therefrom for mounting a pair of frame plates upon said base plate, clock mechanism mounted in said frame plates, an electro-magnet connected to said base plate, an armature pivotally mounted upon said base plate, a spring secured to one of said frame plates, said spring opposing the action of said armature, an insulated bar forming a mounting for the free ends of said electromagnet, and a bracket bearing suitable binding posts bolted to said insulated bar.

11. In a. self-winding clock, a spring motor, an electromagnet, an armature for said electro-magnet, a movable member controlled by the movement of said armature, a time controlled driving shaft, a main spring for said driving shaft, a ratchet for winding said main spring, pawls pivoted upon said movable member for periodically winding said ratchet, said pawls operating to wind said ratchet in two direct-ions of motion of said movable member, and adj ustable means for controlling the movement of said armature.

12. In a self-winding clock a main spring, an escapement therefor, electro-magnetio winding means for said main spring, a circuit for said electro-magnetic winding means, a contact in said circuit controlled by said electro-magnetic winding means, a time controllec cooperating contact in saidcircuit, means for disengaging said contacts immediately upon energization of said electro-magnet, and latch means released by said time controlled contact for maintaining said contacts disengaged for a predetermined interval.

13. In a self-winding clock a frame, a main spring, a movable disk advanced by said main spring, a ratchet for winding said main spring, a contact member mounted on said frame, a plurality of contacts projecting from said movable disk, said contacts being brought into successive engagement with the contact mounted on said frame, an electro-magnet carried by said frame, the circuit of said electro-magnet being closed by the engagement of said contacts, an armature for said electro-magnet for advancing said ratchet, a loose coupling between said armature and the contact member mounted on the frame whereby said circuit is opened immediately upon energization of said electro-magnet, and an intermittently actuated trolled by said electro-magnetic Winding 10 latch for holding said contact member in means, a time controlled cooperating contact open position. 7 in said circuit, and a non-inductive resist- 14. In a self-Winding clock, the combinaance shunted across the terminals of said 5 tion of a main spring, an escapement thereelectro-magnet.

for, an electro-magnet, means actuated by In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe 15 said electro-magnet for inding said main my name this 28 day of March, AD. 1919. spring, a circuit for said electro-magnet Winding means, a contact in said circuit con- ALFRED L. SOHM. 

